Akunis: Cease-fire Under Our Terms, Not Hamas'

MK Ofir Akunis said that Israel had no plans to stop its attacks against Gaza terrorists, and would continue to fight.

By Yosef Berger

First Publish: 7/13/2014, 4:29 PM

On a visit to Ashkelon Sunday, MK Ofir Akunis said that Israel had no plans to stop its attacks against Gaza terrorists. “Israel will continue to do anything and everything to defend our people,” Akunis said. “It is unacceptable that just ten kilometers from here there is a terror organization that is shooting at our kids,” Akunis added.

Earlier Sunday, A 16-year-old boy was seriously injured by a missile fired on Ashkelon. A 60 year-old man was also hurt, suffering light injuries. Simon Lugasi, head of Ashkelon Branch of Ichud Hatzalah, spoke toArutz Sheva about the injured teen. "This is a rocket which landed near a building," he said. "The boy was hit by shrapnel. Following first aid, the boy received medical treatment by Hatzalah medics on the scene, and was brought to Barzilai Hospital were he is in serious condition," he added.

Akunis said he was not opposed to a cease-fire with Hamas, but “if there is to be a cease-fire it will be under our conditions, not those of Hamas,” he added. “This campaign must continue until there is quiet in the south.”

When asked how Israel should deal with accusations that it was “targeting women and children,” an allegation that has been increasingly sounded in the foreign press, Akunis said that this was not Israel's purpose. “We are not looking to hit civilians in Gaza, just terrorists. That is our plan and that is what we will do,” he said, adding that “we will continue to do whatever is necessary to defend our people.”